jeremy-第14部分

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honour。　Hamlet；　his　eyes　and　ears　also　upon　the　door；　expecting
perhaps　a　rat；　perhaps　Aunt　Amy；　sat　in　front　of　the　group；　its
bodyguard。

〃She's　in　the　hall；〃　said　Helen；　〃and　now　Mother's　saying：　'Do　take
off　your　things。　You　must　be　wet；'　and　now　she's　saying：　'You'll
like　to　see　the　children；　I　expect；'　and　now〃

There　they　were；　standing　in　the　doorway；　Mrs。　Cole　and　Miss　Jones。
There　followed　a　dismal　pause。　The　children　had　not　expected　anyone
so　old　and　so　ugly　as　Miss　Jones。　Hamlet　did　not　barknothing
occurred。

At　last　Mrs。　Cole　said：　〃Now；　children；　come　and　say；　'How　do　you
do？'　to　Miss　Jones。　This　is　Helen；　our　eldestthis　Maryand　this
Jeremy。〃

Miss　Jones　did　a　dreadful　thing。　In　her　eagerness　to　be　pleasant　and
friendly　she　kissed　the　girls；　and　then；　before　anyone　could　stop
her；　kissed　Jeremy。　He　took　it　like　a　man；　never　turning　his　head
nor　wiping　his　mouth　with　his　hand　afterwards；　but　she　might　have
seen　in　his　eyes；　had　she　looked；　what　he　felt　about　it。

She　said：　〃I　hope　we　shall　be　happy　together；　dears。〃

The　children　said　nothing；　and　presently　they　all　sat　down　to　tea。




II


It　was　unfortunate　that　there　was　so　little　precedent　on　both　sides。
Miss　Jones　had　never　been　a　governess　before　and　the　children　had
never　had　one。　Of　course；　many　mistakes　were　made。　Miss　Jones　had
had　a　true　admiration　for　what　she　used　to　call　〃her　brother's
indomitable　spirit；〃　her　name　for　his　selfishness　and　bad　temper。
She　was　herself　neither　selfish　nor　bad…tempered；　but　she　was
ignorant；　nervous；　over…anxious；　and　desperately　afraid　of　losing
her　situation。　She　had　during　so　many　years　lived　without　affection
that　the　wells　of　it　had　dried　up　within　her；　and　now；　without　being
at　all　a　bad　old　lady；　she　was　simply　preoccupied　with　the　business
of　managing　her　neuralgia；　living　on　nothing　a　week；　and　building　to
her　deceased　brother's　memory　a　monument；　of　heroic　character　and
self…sacrifice。　She　was　short…sighted　and　had　a　perpetual　cold；　she
was　forgetful　and　careless。　She　had；　nevertheless；　a　real　knowledge
of　many　things；　a　warm　heart　somewhere　could　she　be　encouraged　to
look　for　it　again；　and　a　sense　of　humour　buried　deep　beneath　her
cares　and　preoccupations。　There　were　many　worse　persons　in　the　world
than　Miss　Jones。　But；　most　unfortunately；　her　love　for　her　brother's
memory　led　her　to　resolve　on　what　she　called　〃firmness。〃　Mrs。　Cole
had　told　her　that　Jeremy　was　〃getting　too　much〃　for　his　nurse；　she
approached　Jeremy　with　exactly　the　tremors　and　quaking　boldness　that
she　would　have　summoned　to　her　aid　before　a　bull　loose　in　a　field。
She　really　did　look　frightening　with　her　large　spectacles　on　the　end
of　her　large　nose；　her　mouth　firmly　set；　and　a　ruler　in　her　hand。　〃I
insist　on　absolute　obedience；〃　was　her　motto。　Jeremy　looked　at　her
but　said　no　word。　It　was　made　clear　to　them　all　that　the　new　regime
was　to　be　far　other　than　the　earlier　nursery　one。　There　were　to　be
regular　lesson　hoursnine　to　twelve　and　four　to　five。　A　neat　piece
of　white　paper　was　fastened　to　the　wall　with　〃Monday：　Geography　9…
10；　Arithmetic　10…11；〃　and　so　on。　A　careful　graduation　of
punishments　was　instituted；　copies　to　he　written　so　many　times；
standing　on　a　chair；　three　strokes　on　the　hand　with　a　ruler；　and；
worst　of　all；　standing　in　the　corner　wearing　a　paper　Dunce's　cap。
（This　last　she　had　read　of　in　books。）　At　first　Jeremy　had　every
intention　of　behaving　well；　in　spite　of　that　unfortunate　embrace。　He
was　proud　of　his　advance　in　life；　he　was　no　longer　a　baby；　the
nursery　was　now　a　schoolroom；　he　stayed　up　an　hour　later　at　night；
he　was　to　be　allowed　twopence　a　week　pocket…money；　his　whole　social
status　had　risen。　He　began　to　read　for　pleasure；　and　discovered　that
it　was　easier　than　he　had　expected；　so　that　he　passed　quite　quickly
through　〃Lottie's　Visit　to　Grandmama〃　into　〃Stumps〃　and　out　again　in
〃Jackanapes。〃　He　heard　some　elder　say　that　the　road　to　a　large
fortune　lay　through　〃Sums；〃　and；　although　this　seemed　to　him　an
extremely　mysterious　statement；　he　determined　to　give　the　theory　a
chance。　In　fact；　he　sat　down　the　first　day　at　the　schoolroom　table；
Mary　and　Helen　on　each　side　of　him；　and　Miss　Jones　facing　them；　with
fine　resolves　and　high　ambitions。　Before　him　lay　a　pure　white　page；
and　at　the　head　of　this　the　noble　words　in　a　running　hand：　〃Slow　and
steady　wins　the　race。〃　He　grasped　his　pencil；　and　Miss　Jones；　eager
to　lose　no　time　in　asserting　her　authority；　cried：　〃But　that's　not
the　way　to　hold　your　pencil；　Jeremy；　your　thumb　so；　your　finger　so。〃
He　scowled　and　found　that　lifting　his　thumb　over　the　pencil　was　as
difficult　as　lifting　Hamlet　over　a　gate。　He　made　a　bold　attempt；　but
the　pencil　refused　to　move。

〃Can't　hold　it　that　way；〃　he　said。

〃You　must　never　say　'can't；'　Jeremy；〃　remarked　Miss　Jones。　〃There
isn't　such　a　word。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Mary　eagerly；　〃there　is；　I've　seen　it　in　books。〃

〃You　musn't　contradict；　Mary；〃　said　Miss　Jones。　〃I　only　meant　that
you　must　behave　as　though　there　isn't；　because　nothing　is　impossible
to　one　who　truly　tries。〃

〃My　pencil　waggles　this　way；〃　said　Jeremy　politely。　〃I　think　I'll
hold　it　the　old　way；　please。〃

〃There's　only　one　way　of　doing　anything；〃　said　Miss　Jones；　〃and
that's　the　right　way。〃

〃This　is　the　right　way　for　me；〃　said　Jeremy。

〃If　I　say　it's　not　the　right　way〃

〃But　it　waggles；〃　cried　Jeremy。

The　discussion　was　interrupted　by　a　cry　from　Helen。

〃Oh；　do　look；　Miss　Jones；　Hamlet's　got　your　spectacle…　case。　He
thinks　it's　a　mouse。〃

There　followed　general　confusion。　Miss　Jones　jumped　up；　and；　with
little　cries　of　distress；　pursued　Hamlet；　who　hastened　into　his
favourite　corner　and　began　to　worry　the　spectacle…case；　with　one　eye
on　Miss　Jones　and　one　on　his　spoils。

Jeremy　hurried　up　crying：　〃Put　it　down；　Hamlet；　naughty　dog；　naughty
dog；〃　and　Mary　and　Helen　laughed　with　frantic　delight。

At　last　Miss　Jones；　her　face　red　and　her　hair　in　disorder；　rescued
her　property　and　returned　to　the　table；　Hamlet　meanwhile　wagging　his
tail；　panting　and　watching　for　a　further　game。

〃I　can't　possibly；〃　said　Miss　Jones；　〃allow　that　dog　in　here　during
lesson　hours。　It's　impossible。〃

〃Oh；　but　Miss　Jones〃　began　Jeremy。

〃Not　one　word；〃　said　she；　〃let　us　have　no　more　of　this。　Lead　him
from　the　room；　Jeremy！〃

〃But；　Miss　Jones；　he　must　be　here。　He's　learning　too。　In　a　day　or
two　he'll　be　as　good　as　anything；　really　he　will。　He's　so
intelligent。　He　really　thought　it　was　his　to　play　with；　and　he　did
give　it　up；　didn't　he；　as　soon　as　I　said〃

〃Enough；〃　said　Miss　Jones；　〃I　will　listen　to　no　more。　I　say　he　is
not　to　remain〃

〃But　if　I　promise〃　said　Jeremy。

Then　Miss　Jones　made　a　bad　mistake。　Wearied　of　the　argument；　wishing
to　continue　the　lesson；　and　hoping　perhaps　to　please　her　tormentors；
she　said　meekly：

〃Well；　if　he　really　is　good；　perhaps〃

From　that　instant　her　doom　was　sealed。　The　children　exchanged　a
glance　of　realisation。　Jeremy　smiled。　The　lesson　was　continued。　What
possessed　Jeremy　now？　What　possesses　any　child；　naturally　perhaps；
of　a　kindly　and　even　sentimental　nature　at　the　sight　of　something
helpless　and　in　its　power？　Is　there　any　cruelty　in　after　life　like
the　cruelty　of　a　small　boy；　and　is　there　anything　more　powerful；
more　unreasoning；　and　more　malicious　than　the　calculating　tortures
that　small　children　devise　for　those　weaker　than　themselves？　Jeremy
was　possessed　with　a　new　power。

It　was　something　almost　abstract　in　its　manifestations；　it　was
something　indecent；　sinister；　secret；　foreign　to　his　whole　nature
felt　by　him　now　for　the　first　time；　unanalysed；　of　course；　but
belonging；　had　he　known　it；　to　that　world　of　which　afterwards　he　was
often　to　catch　glimpses；　that　world　of　shining　white　faces　in　dark
streets；　of　muffled　cries　from　shuttered　windows；　of　muttered
exclamations；　half　caught；　half　understood。　He　was　never　again　to　be
quite　free　from　the　neighbourhood　of　that　half…world；　he　would　never
be　quite　sure　of　his　dominance　of　it　until　he　died。

He　had　never　felt　anything　like　this　power　before。　With　the　Jampot
his　relations　had　been　quite　simple；　he　had　been　rebellious；
naughty；　disobedient；　and　had　been　punished；　and　there　was　an　end。
Now　there　was　a　game　like　tracking　Red　Indians　in　the　prairie　or
tigers　in　the　jungle。

He　watched　Miss　Jones　and　discovered　many　things　about　her。　He
discovered　that　when　she　made　mistakes　in　the　things　that　she　taught
them　she　was　afraid　to　confess　to　her　mistakes；　and　so　made　them
worse　and　worse。　He　discovered　that　she　was　very　nervous；　and　that　a
sudden　noise　made　her　jump　and　turn　white　and　put　her　hand　to　her
heart。　He　discovered　that　she　would　punish　him　and　then　try　to
please　him　by　saying　he　need　not　finish　his　punishment。　He
discovered　that　she　would　lose　things；　like　her　spectacles；　her
handkerchief；　or　her　purse；　and　then　be　afraid　to　confess　that　she
had　lost　them　and　endeavour　to　proceed　without　them。　He　discovered
that　she　hated　to　hit　him　on　the　hand　with　a　ruler　（he　scarcely　felt
the　strokes）。　He　discovered　that　when　his　mother　or　father　was　in
the　room　she　was　terrified　lest　he　should　misbehave。

He　discovered　that　she　was　despised　by　the　servants；　who　quite
openly　insulted　her。

All　these　things　fed　his　sense　of　power。　He　did　not　consider　her　a
human　being　at　all；　she　was　simply　something　upon　which　he　could
exercise　his　ingenuity　and　cleverness。　Mary　followed　him　in　whatever
he　did；　Helen　pretended　to　be　superior；　but　was　not。　Yes；　Miss　Jones
was　in　the　hands　of　her　tormentors；　and　there　was　no　escape　for　her。

Surely　it　must　have　been　some　outside　power　that　drove　Jeremy　on。
The　children　called　it　〃teasing　Miss　Jones；〃　and　the　aboriginal
savagery　in　their　behaviour　was　as　unconscious　as　their　daily　speech
or　fashion　of　eating　their　foodsome　instinct　inherited；　perhaps；
from　the　days　when　the　gentleman　with　the　biggest　muscles　extracted
for　his　daily　amusement　the　teeth　and　nails　of　his　less　happily
muscular　friends。

There　were　many　games　to　be　played　with　Miss　Jones。　She　always　began
her　morning　with　a　fine　show　of　authority；　accumulated；　perhaps；
during　hours　of　Spartan　resolution　whilst　the　rest　of　the　household
slept。　〃To…